RIO VISTA, Calif. — The bodies of three men who desperately tried to save the life of an eight-year old boy drowning in the Sacramento River near Rio Vista were recovered Tuesday evening.
The men were identified as Edwin Rivas, 57, Danilo Solozano, 40, and Edwin Perez, 22. All were construction workers from Oakland, originally from Guatemala.
The men were part of a group of family and friends fishing along the Sacramento River across from the Brannan Island State Recreation Area Saturday afternoon.
According to a state parks ranger, that's when the boy -- who was wading in the water next to a small beach -- suddenly got pulled away. He wasn't wearing a life jacket.
Juan Cabrera, who was with the men, says one-by-one each man got into the water to try to save the boy. The strong winds and strong current pulled the men under the water.
"And then I tried to fight for my life struggling, too," said Cabrera, "I just grabbed the kid and tried to push away from the water, but when I turn around I can see one guy look at me and disappear. Then I turn around and see my cousin... the same thing, the water dragging him inside. They look at me and I could do nothing."
State Parks Sgt. Cameron Morrison, who assisted in trying to find the men, says the waterways in the Delta can be deceiving.
"Even though the river might look like it's pretty safe, the current is very strong. You just don't see it from the waterway or on the edge of the water, but the current is really moving through there," said Morrison.
He says as the tides come up and go down, it's difficult to judge the direction of the current because the water is so deep. He says in the center part of the river at Brannan Island, it's 40-feet deep with fast moving water and at a high volume.
He adds it's not safe to go swimming there, but people still do it anyway.
"Life's too short. You have to enjoy the life every second. You have to tell somebody 'I love you.' I do something wrong, I'm sorry, and just love people and do the best you can for everybody," said Cabrera.
The 8-year-old boy was unharmed and did not require medical attention.
